Janet and Robert Wolfe Genealogy --- Go to Genealogy Page for John Clay --- Go to Genealogy Page for Ellen Curtis

Notes for John Clay and Ellen Curtis

Research Notes:

We are researching the children of John Curtis and Ellen Fowler, especially Thomas Curtis, who married Joan Clay. Thomas had a sister, Helen or Ellen, who died in 1637 as a spinster. We do not know the relationship of Ellena Curtis, wife of John Clay, to Thomas Curtis.

1604 John Clay, son of Knyvton Clay, was baptized on May 17 in North Wingfield parish, Derbyshire, England. [1] Also reported as John Clay, son of Knyvton Clay, was baptized at Dronfield parish, Derbyshire, England. [2]

1633 Ellena Curtis (not the sister of Thomas Curtis, Ellen, who died a spinster) and Johanes Clay were married on October 30, at Wingerworth [North Wingfield?], Derbyshire, England. [3]

1634 The will of Francis Claye of Higham, county of Derbie [Derbyshire, England] named brother John Clay. [4]

... First I give unto my daughter Mary all my ? furniture of Linnen woolen & beddinge together with all my pewter and brass ... if she live to her age of eighteen years
Item That whereas I have made an estate of all my lands tenem't & hereditamn't in the parish of Ash? to my loving brothers John Claye Thomas Curtis & Thomas Ludham, my mynd is, and I doo hereby confirme and testify the same in ? manner and forme as it ? in t? several deeds made betwixt me and them concerning the same.
And I doo hereby give and bequeath unto my said three executors hereafter named ten shillings a piece to each of them.
And also the residue of my goods & chattles & personal estate ? after my funeral charge discharged and my debts satisfied I doe bequeath the same unto my three execut's yet in trust for the good & benefit of my daughter Marye. And I doe constitute and make my said brothers John Claye Thomas Curtis & Thomas Ludlam executors of this my last will & testament in trust for the benefit & ? of my said daughter Marye. ...And my mind is that if my said daughter Marye doe dye without issue before she accomplishe the age of eighteen years that then my said execut's shall pay unto my goddaughter Elizabeth Ludlam twenty pounds, And if my said daughter Marye dye as afforsaid then ?wise to pay to soe many of the children of my sister Isabell Mylnes as shallbe living one hundred pounds out of my p'sonal estate to be equally devyded amongst them ... And the residue of my said p'sonall estate to be devyded amongst the children of Joane Curtis my sister. And my will and mynd further is that my said executors shallbe guardians to both my daughters,...


Footnotes:

[1] Derbyshire, Dronfield parish records, FHL Film 1041034, [FamilySearchImage], [FamilySearchRecord].

[2] David Clay, Clay of Derbyshire, England (Webpage), dronfield, [ClayDerbyshire].

[3] Derbyshire parish registers, 1537-1918, Wingerworth, [FamilySearchRecord].

[4] Staffordshire, Dioceses of Lichfield and Coventry wills and probate 1521-1860, Findmypast